- Diet is a powerful instrument to reduce the risk of cognitive decline in old age.
- Foods such as fatty fish, blueberries, eggs, walnuts and leaf green vegetables stand over the list.
- Other lifestyle factors such as connecting to other and regular movement can also help.
What if the selection of your next snack or dinner could be sharp and lively in the coming years? After 55 years it is not just our joints that creak; Our brain also longs for additional TLC. The good news? Delicious food is on your side. Science underlines certain foods that provide important nutrients that contribute to protection against cognitive decline and can maintain a strong memory and focus.
“To make simple, nutritious decisions every day can have a big influence on how our brain ages,” says Johannah Katz, MA, RD. In other words, a few simple changes to your weekly menu can transform meals into the brain supply period. If you want to support a healthy spirit with age, there are five remarkable foods supported by science to protect your cognitive function.
1. Fatfisch
Fatfish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines are often celebrated as brain food and for a good reason. With omega-3 fatty acids, especially Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), these fish offer important nutrients that play a key role in the health of the brain.
“Dha is a power package for the brain” Jill Koegel, RD, CDCES. “It helps to maintain brain cell membranes, reduced the inflammation associated with the cognitive decline and increase blood flow – encloses for memory and learning.” In order to better understand how Omega-3 affects the brain, the researchers examined studies that extended over 12 years and found that these fats are associated with improved learning, memory and general brain health. They also support the blood flow to the brain.
Adding only one or two portions fat fish at your weekly meals is a simple and delicious way to nourish your brain and keep it sharp.
2. Blueberries
These little berries pack a big blow when it comes to the health of the brain. They are loaded with powerful vegetable connections called flavonoids, especially anthocyans, which give them their deep blue color. But the anthocyans make these berries more than colorful.
“Blueberries are one of the most frequently examined foods to protect brain health in older adults,” says Katz. “They are rich in anthocyans that are antioxidants that cross the blood-brain barrier, reduce inflammation and improve the neurotrophic factor of the brain (BDNF), which supports memory and learning.”
Consider wild blueberries for an additional thrust. “Compared to regular blueberries, wild blueberries have 33% more anthocyans, two -time antioxidants and a more intensive blueberry taste” Kitty Broihier, MS, RD, LD. Some data indicate that the food of wild blueberries can regularly be associated with an improved brain function in older adults, especially when processing information. While this study has been used in particular blueberry powder, it remains relevant because the powder contains the same advantageous compounds as antioxidants and flavonoids found in wild blueberries.
3. Eggs
Eggs are often referred to as the “nutritional plant” for the health of the brain and offer an accessible and versatile opportunity to support the cognitive function. “Eggs are rich in choline, a nutrient that supports mood and memory” Drew Ramsey, MD “Although choline is of crucial importance for the health of the brain, 90% of the Americans do not get enough of this nutrient.” The food of two eggs at breakfast offers a strong start to your day with 12 grams of high quality protein and 60% to 80% of your daily cholino requirement.
Ramse also reports recent studies, which indicates a connection between the food of eggs and a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease in older adults. “These results are important because the prevalence of Alzheimer’s dementia – the most common type of dementia – is expected with an aging population,” says Ramsey.
4. Walnuts
If you are looking for a brain -healthy snack, you are exactly right with walnuts. Their unique form that resembles a tiny brain is a suitable indication of its cognitive advantages. Due to their concentration of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid, the walnuts are on nuts. In fact, they are the only tree mother that is seen as an excellent source for ALA-OMEGA-3 fatty acids.
Accordingly Megan Tomlin, MS, RDN“Walnuts are rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and fibers, all of which are of crucial importance for health and aging of the brain.” The combination of these nutrients helps combat oxidative stress and inflammation, two important factors for age -related cognitive decline.
Observatory research shows that those who eat more walnuts usually achieve better cognitive results, including improved memory and thinking skills. In a study, for example, data of older adults in the USA was analyzed to examine the connection between the food of walnuts and the health of the brain. People who ate walnuts even in small quantities achieved at the beginning of the study in cognitive tests compared to those who had not eaten walnuts. Walnuss eaters also had a healthier lifestyle and diets that are rich in nutrients in the brain, which may have contributed to their higher cognitive values.
Since many studies that focus on walnut intake and the results have applied to the measurement of brain health, experts suggest that more reliable research are necessary before a definitive connection between walnut consumption and cognitive health results can be established.
5. Sheet green vegetables
Vegetables such as spinach, kale, Collard Greens and broccoli are of fundamental importance for a brain -healthy diet. They are packed with nutrients such as vitamin K and lutein associated with a slower cognitive decline.
These nutrients work together to protect the brain. For example, vitamin K is involved in the formation of sphingolipids, a species packed in brain cells. This is a good thing because sphingolipids are essential for maintaining the structure and function of brain cells, which supports the health of the brain and cognitive function. Studies also showed that higher lute reflections during cognitive tasks are associated with a better brain structure and more efficient brain function.
A study examined how the food of this vegetable could influence brain health in older adults (from the age of 60) in the United States, using data from over 2,300 participants. The results showed that the food of dark green vegetables (such as spinach) was associated with better general brain function, especially with immediate and delayed memory tasks. People who ate darkest vegetables have significantly better mapped in these tests in these tests than those who have not eaten. Interestingly, the study also showed that some of the benefits from the ability of the vegetable to reduce blood neutrophils associated with inflammation.
Other strategies for reducing cognitive decline
While a healthy diet is a cornerstone of brain health, it is most effective in combination with healthy lifestyle. Here are some other strategies to protect their cognitive function:
- Stay physically active: Regular movement increases blood flow to the brain and can help grow new brain cells. Effort every week with a medium intensity, such as. B. go brisk or swim.
- Request your spirit: Keep your brain busy by learning new skills, playing strategy games, reading or puzzling. The mental stimulation helps build a cognitive reserve and makes your brain more resistant.
- Stay socially connected: Maintaining strong social bonds and the introduction of sensible conversations can help to preserve the cognitive function and reduce the risk of dementia.
- Manage high blood pressure: A high blood pressure in the 40s to the early 60s can increase the risk of memory and think about it later in life.
- Get enough sleep: Experts recommend getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night.
Trying meal plan
Simple 7-day cognitive health plan created by a nutritionist
Our expert
Protecting your cognitive health in old age is an achievable goal, and your diet is one of the most powerful tools. By including brain support foods such as fat fish, wild blueberries, eggs, green vegetables and walnuts, important nutrients can provide the inflammation and support of the brain cell structure as well as memory and memory. These foods are not only an advantage for their brain, but also contribute to their general well -being.
Remember that diet is only part of the equation. The combination of a brain -healthy nutrition plan with regular physical activity, mental challenges and strong social connections creates a robust defense against cognitive decline. While there are some factors that can contribute to cognitive decline that are outside of our control, as in our genetics, you can help you to keep your mind sharp and lively through these proactive steps.
